Saturday, 29 September 2012

PAL orders 10 A330s for $2.5bn

The deal was confirmed by company president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang.

Media reports from the Philippines quote Ang as saying that the company exercised the options two weeks ago.
Today's deal follows PAL's 54 Airbus buy in August worth $7 billion and comprising 34 A321s, 10 A321neos and 10 higher-weight Airbus A330-300s. The 10 aircraft deal today is also for the higher-weight A330.
Over the last few years, PAL has struggled to cope with the emergence of budget carrier Cebu Pacific, which now has the largest market share in the Philippines. The carrier had previously said that it wants to retire many of its older and uneconomical widebodies, and replace them with a new fleet to compete more effectively on the long-haul markets. The aim is to purchase a total of 100 new aircraft, PAL president Ramon Ang said.

UPDATE 1-Emirates Airline's Clark says wants more Airbus A380s

Thu Sep 27, 2012

By Alwyn Scott

Sept 27 (Reuters) - Confirming growing demand for the world's largest airliner, a top executive of Emirates Airline said on Thursday the company would be willing to buy another 40 Airbus A380 jets, but that the fast-growing Dubai airport where the airline is based is short of room for them.

Emirates Airline President Tim Clark had already said the airline wants another 30 A380s, on top of 90 already on order. Increasing that number to 40 suggests demand is rising for the A380 made by the Airbus unit of Europe's EADS.

Emirates, by far the largest customer for the A380, whose list price is $390 million, had 23 of the superjumbo jets in service at the end of August.

Clark, speaking at an industry conference in Seattle, said there are seven A380s waiting in Hamburg, Germany, for delivery as part of the normal deliver schedule. He is not worried about his airline's strong growth being affected by recession in Europe, slowing growth in China and unrest in the Middle East. Dubai, he said, "is a honey pot. There is no place better, except maybe China."

Clark has been ratcheting up his demand for the 525-seat A380 jet since he surprised the aviation world in 2010 by saying the airline could buy 120 of the aircraft.

Emirates, one of Dubai's most prized assets, has continued to grow rapidly despite a regional debt crisis followed by a wider recession affecting the airline industry and high fuel prices."We don't cancel orders," Clark said. "We get on with it."

If Emirates carried out its ambition of operating a fleet of 130 A380s, adding 40 to its current order of 90, it would control a fleet worth over $50 billion at list prices and extend its dominance as the European planemaker' s largest customer.

Regarding the development of a revamped Boeing Co 777, Clark said that the first of its fleet of 777-300-ER jets are due to be retired in 2017, and Emirates would like to replace them with the updated 777, which promises much greater efficiencies.

Given that deadline, he said it was a good time to start "bellyaching" to get a new jet started. "I'm hoping to see it sooner rather than later."

A Boeing official said the company is developing options and "when we are satisfied with the risks, costs and schedule, we intend to present a plan for offering the airplane to customers that would enter the market late this decade."

LAN Airlines becomes new customer for A320 Space-Flex cabin option

LAN Airlines has placed an order for Airbus’ Space-Flex PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility) lavatory option to equip new Airbus A320 aircraft. LAN joins TAM Airlines in selecting Space-Flex which creates more passenger comfort. This brings total orders for Space-Flex to equip 101 A320 Family aircraft.

LAN and TAM, which recently merged to form LATAM Airlines Group, is among the biggest Airbus customers in the world with nearly 400 orders aircraft combined, more than 200 aircraft in operation and an outstanding backlog that exceeds 180 Airbus aircraft.

“We are pleased to offer our passengers an innovative lavatory on the LAN new A320 Family aircraft,” said Fernanda Toro, LAN Travel Experience Director. “Space-Flex allows us to maximise the cabin, using space in the aircraft that was previously unused, while providing more flexibility.”

By making more efficient use of the volume at the rear of the cabin, two lavatories plus a galley can now be efficiently accommodated in this space, generating the following advantages:

• Freeing-up space for more passenger comfort, as with this new arrangement the revenue space of the cabin is maximized;

• Offering two lavatories each of comparable size to existing A320s i.e. larger than competitor lavatories;

• Providing a full PRM lavatory for the first time in a single-aisle aircraft. The ‘PRM-friendly’ lavatory is facilitated via a simple conversion process: two single Space-Flex lavatories are convertible into one PRM enclosure in a similar manner to those delivered on Airbus wide-body aircraft.

With around 8,600 A320 Family aircraft ordered, and over 5,200 aircraft delivered to over 370 customers and operators worldwide, the A318, A319, A320 and A321 make up the world's best-selling single-aisle aircraft family and are the preferred choice with traditional airlines and passengers, as well as with the fast-growing low-cost carrier market for which it is now the reference. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS company.

THAI takes delivery of its first A380

Airline becomes ninth operator of world's most eco-efficient aircraft

27 September 2012

Thai Airways International (THAI) has taken delivery of its first A380, becoming the ninth airline to operate the world’s largest and most eco-efficient airliner. The aircraft was handed over to Captain Montree Jumrieng, Executive Vice President Technical, THAI, by Kiran Rao, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Airbus, at a special ceremony in Toulouse today.

THAI has ordered six A380s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. The airline has specified a premium three class layout for its fleet, seating a total of 507 passengers. All classes feature new cabin designs, with 12 private suites in First Class, 60 fully flat sleeper seats in Royal Silk Class and 435 seats in Economy. All seats are equipped with the latest on-demand in-flight entertainment systems, communication outlets and individual power supply.

“With the A380 THAI will elevate its Royal Orchid Service to a new level,” said Montree Jumrieng, Executive Vice President Technical, THAI. “In every class we are offering a new dimension in passenger appeal, from redesigned seating to the latest entertainment systems. These features, combined with the aircraft’s quiet and spacious cabin, will truly make the THAI A380 the smoothest way to fly.”

"We are extremely proud to welcome THAI as the latest operator of the A380," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. "Today THAI joins a group of world class airlines that are redefining on-board comfort while flying more efficiently. With the A380 THAI will be well placed to meet the strong growth in air travel in the Asia-Pacific region in the most cost-effective way possible.”

THAI will inaugurate commercial service with the A380 in early October on the Bangkok – Hong Kong and Bangkok – Singapore routes. As more aircraft are delivered, the airline will begin service to Frankfurt at the end of the year, followed by Tokyo and Paris early in 2013.

Since first entering service in 2007, the A380 has exceeded all expectations, flying more people further at lower cost and with less impact on the environment. The spacious, quiet cabin and smooth ride have also made the A380 a firm favourite with passengers, resulting in higher load factors and increased profitability on all routes where the aircraft is operated.

The A380 is capable of flying 8,500 nautical miles or 15,700 kilometres non-stop. From Bangkok this enables non-stop service with a full payload to any destination in Europe or one-stop service to anywhere in the US.

AirAsia close to ordering 100 Airbus aircraft

AirAsia is close to placing an order for 100 Airbus aircraft to aid its international expansion.

A plan to acquire the additional aircraft will be submitted to its board in about two weeks, says group chief executive Tony Fernandes.

The 100 aircraft to be ordered will be narrowbodies including the Airbus A320neo, sources say.

The low-cost carrier already has 200 A320neos and 70 A320-200s on order. More aircraft, however, are needed for the expansion of its affiliates in Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and Philippines.

"Fleet roll out meeting now. Lots of growth. As been saying need more planes. Especially in Indonesia," says Fernandes in a tweet today.

Last month, AirAsia was also given the green light to acquire Indonesia's Batavia Air. Batavia operates five A320s, one A321, two A330-200s and 25 737s. Part of AirAsia's plan is also to replace Batavia's older Boeing aircraft with new ones from Airbus.

AirAsia Indonesia operates 19 A320s. Fernandes had previously said that the affiliate needs six aircraft in 2012, but "we don't have enough to give them".

Friday, 21 September 2012

Airbus ACJ319 makes first appearance at South African show

Showcases widest and tallest cabin of any corporate jet

21 September 2012

Airbus’ ACJ319 is making its South African airshow debut at AAD[1] giving visitors from the region their first chance to experience the aircraft’s comfort and space at first hand, as well as to compare it with other aircraft on display.

Similar in size externally to competing aircraft, the Airbus ACJ319’s distinguishing feature is that it has the widest and tallest cabin of any business jet, delivering unequalled comfort, space and freedom of movement – as well as the ability to carry more people.

The Airbus ACJ319 on display is operated by Comlux, seats 19 passengers, and is available for VVIP charter. In daytime, the cabin provides tables at which to work, a lounge area for discussions, and the privacy of two offices. At night, many of the seats convert to beds and the offices to bedrooms, making the best practical and productive use of space.

Like all Airbus corporate jets, the Airbus ACJ319 features intercontinental range, allowing it to fly nonstop throughout Africa – as well as to reach much of the world with a single stop.

“Any corporate jet can save you time and money by making you more productive, but only Airbus corporate jets can do so with more capacity, capability and comfort, making them increasingly the preferred choice of companies, individuals and governments around the world,” points out Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers, John Leahy. “For customers that want to carry even more people even farther, we also offer corporate jet versions of our modern widebody family, which have ‘nonstop to the world’ range,” he adds.

Airbus corporate jets brings have excellent reliability – a tribute to their airliner heritage – as well as being backed by a comprehensive worldwide support network. And with more than 470 Airbus customers and operators around the world, Airbus corporate jet clients invariably have access to maintenance facilities in their own country – often a key issue, especially with governments.

Airbus has sold some 170 corporate jets to date, and its aircraft are the only ones flying on every continent, including Antarctica, highlighting their versatility. Customers comprise companies, individuals and governments, in roughly equal measure.

AirAsia to become first Airbus A320 ‘Sharklets’ operator

Airbus and the world’s largest A320 customer AirAsia announced that the airline will become the first operator of the A320 with ‘Sharklets’ when they take delivery of the first A320 equipped with these fuel-saving wing-tip devices at the end of this year. The aircraft exhibited on static and flying display at the ILA Berlin Air Show is the flight test aircraft for CFM engines and will also be delivered to AirAsia in 2013.

"The A320 has played a key role in our success, enabling us to offer our passengers the lowest fares possible and completely redefine short haul travel in Asia.” said Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO. “Now we are looking forward to become the first airline in the world to start operating this most fuel-efficient aircraft.”

“AirAsia is one of the fastest growing, most innovative and well-respected brands in the airline industry” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “It is a great endorsement that they have chosen our latest, fuel-saving aircraft of our successful A320 Family”.

Thursday, 6 September 2012

The month in review: August 2012

A300/A310

A318/319/320/321

A330/A340/A350

A380

Total

Total orders

816

8630

2160

257

11863

Total deliveries

816

5232

1277

81

7406

Aircraft in operation

481

5071

1257

81

6890

Airbus marked several achievements in August, with the 114 orders adding new customers for both its A320neo and A350-1000, as well as taking total A320 Family bookings above the 8,600 mark; while the 38 aircraft provided to customers included the first A330-200F for a new operator of this mid-sized freighter, along with another A380 for the flagship jetliner’s largest airline user.

Another major booking was China’s ICBC Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. order for 30 A320ceo and 20 A320neo jetliners. In addition to making ICBC Leasing the A320neo’s first Chinese customer, the booking expands this company’s Airbus portfolio in anticipation of increasing aviation market demand across China and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as elsewhere in the world.

Completing the month’s new business was Cathay Pacific’s order for 10 A350-1000s, plus a conversion of 16 of its A350-900s into the -1000 version. This makes the Hong Kong-based airline the fifth A350-1000 customer, and follows its Farnborough Airshow announcement for the booking, which subsequently was approved by Cathay Pacific’s board as planned.

With the August transactions, Airbus’ total net orders so far in 2012 totalled 384 aircraft.

Deliveries in August were composed of 32 single-aisle A320 Family jetliners, along with five widebody A330s and one A380. They bring overall deliveries in 2012 through August to 364 aircraft, received by 74 customers.

For Airbus twin-engine widebodies, deliveries were the first A330-200F cargo aircraft for MNG Airlines – Turkey’s dedicated freight operator, an A330-200 passenger aircraft for China Southern Airlines, and one A330-300 each to Air China, AerCap (for Virgin Atlantic) and Malaysia Airlines.

An A380 received by Emirates in August marked the 14th delivered by Airbus so far in 2012, and the 81st provided to eight operators worldwide. These airlines are performing a combined total of more than 100 flights daily with the double-deck airliner, carrying over 1 million passengers per month.

First A350 XWB wing arrives in Toulouse for ground tests

The first wing for the A350 XWB has arrived at Airbus’ final assembly line in Toulouse (France) where the new generation Airbus wide-body aircraft is being assembled. This first wing, which will not fly, is destined for the A350 XWB airframe used for static structural tests on the ground that all new aircraft undergo as part of their certification process. The A350 XWB wings, as for all Airbus aircraft, are made at Airbus’ Broughton (UK) site.

The A350 XWB wing covers are 32 metres long by six metres wide, making them the biggest single civil aviation parts made from carbon fibre composite material. The wings’ advanced structural design and superior aerodynamics are both significant contributors to the 25% fuel saving performance of the A350 XWB.

Demand spurs need for over 28,000 aircraft in the next 20 years.

Airbus’ latest Global Market Forecast (GMF) identifies a need for some 28,200 passenger and freighter aircraft (of 100 seats or more) between 2012 and 2031 worth nearly US$4.0 trillion, reconfirming an upward trend in the pace of new aircraft deliveries. Of these over 27,350 will be passenger aircraft valued at US$ 3.7 trillion.

Passenger traffic will grow at an average annual rate of 4.7 percent in the next 20 years, during which some 10,350 aircraft will be replaced by new efficient models. By 2031 the world’s passenger fleet will have expanded by 110 percent from slightly over 15,550 today to over 32,550. In the same period, the world’s freighter fleet will almost double from 1,600 to 3,000 aircraft.

Emerging economic regions will represent more than half of all traffic growth in the next 20 years. Increasing urbanisation and the doubling of the world’s middle classes to five billion people is also driving growth. By 2031 mega cities will more than double to 92 and over 90 percent of the world’s traffic will be between or through these points.

“Aside from growth in international traffic, by 2031 four of the world’s biggest traffic flows will all be domestic - US, China, Intra Western Europe and India – and these account for a third of world traffic,” says John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers. “In 20 years from now, China’s domestic passenger traffic will overtake the US domestic traffic to become the number one traffic flow in our forecast. Aviation is not just essential for international commerce, but also for domestic economies too.”

Asia Pacific will account for 35 percent of all new aircraft deliveries, followed by Europe and North America with 21 percent each. In value terms, the single biggest market is China followed by the US, UAE and India.

Over 1,700 Very Large Aircraft (VLA - 400 seats and above) like the A380 will have been delivered by 2031, valued at US$600 billion. Of these over 1,330 are passenger aircraft valued at some US$500 billion (13 percent by value of passenger deliveries, 5 percent of units). Asia Pacific leads demand (46 percent) for these high capacity aircraft, followed by the Middle East (23 percent) and Europe (19 percent).

Demand for twin-aisle aircraft (250 to 400 seats), like the A330 and the A350 XWB, some 6,970 new passenger and freighter aircraft will be delivered valued at some US$1.7 trillion. Of these, 6,500 are passenger aircraft valued at US$1.6 trillion (44 percent by value of passenger deliveries, 24 percent of units). Leading demand is Asia Pacific (46 percent), Europe (17 percent) and the North America (13 percent)

In the next 20 years, over 19,500 single-aisle aircraft worth over US$1,6 trillion will be delivered (43 percent of passenger deliveries by value, 71 percent by units). A third of deliveries will be in Asia Pacific followed by North America (25 percent) and Europe (22 percent). Some 30 percent of all deliveries in this category will be for Low Cost Carriers.

Saturday, 1 September 2012

A Thomas Cook Airbus A330-200, registration G-MLJL performing flight MT-134 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Holguin (Cuba), was enroute at FL390 over the Atlantic Ocean at about N40 W40 about 3 hours into the crossing when the crew decided to turn around and return to London Gatwick reporting they were losing hydraulic fluid. On the way back the crew reported the failure of the hydraulic system. The aircraft landed safely on Gatwick's runway 26L about 4 hours after turning around and about 8 hours after departure.

Incident: PAL A320 at Tacloban on Aug 29th 2012, bird strike

A PAL Philippine Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration RP-C8615 performing flight PR-191 from Manila to Tacloban (Philippines) with 94 people on board, was touching down on Tacloban's runway 18 when a flock of wild ducks did not manage to duck away from the engines and several birds were ingested by one of the engines (CFM56). The aircraft rolled out safely.

A runway inspection needed to remove a number of dead ducks from the runway.

The airline said the aircraft sustained damage to fan blades of an engine causing the return flight PR-192 to be cancelled.

A Vueling Airbus A320-200, registration EC-LML performing flight VY-8366 from Malaga,SP (Spain) to Amsterdam (Netherlands) with 183 people on board, was descending towards Amsterdam and was about to be handed off from Belgium to Dutch control when the radio contact with Dutch air traffic control frequencies was intermittently lost prompting two fighter aircraft to be dispatched with the alert the aircraft might have been hijacked. The fighter aircraft escorted the aircraft to Amsterdam, where the aircraft landed safely on Amsterdam's 18R and stopped on a taxiway near the runway, where security forces surrounded the aircraft. Following landing communication with the crew was fully restored, the crew reported no security problem on board.

Confusion arose when Dutch military initially confirmed a possible hijack of the aircraft. Later the military confirmed the fighter aircraft were dispatched because of loss of communication on hand off from Belgium to Netherlands.

Passengers reported the situation on board was normal all time. They were kept on the aircraft for about 4 hours after landing.

The airline confirmed an intermittent loss of communication but said there was no other issue. The intermittent loss of communication obviously prompted Dutch air traffic controllers to assume a security problem on board of the aircraft and to issue relevant alerts. The crew is currently being interviewed how and why the communication with ATC was lost.

Incident: Wizz A320 at Gdansk on Aug 29th 2012, bird strike

A Wizz Air Airbus A320-200, registration HA-LPR performing flight W6-1739 from Gdansk (Poland) to Malmo (Sweden), was climbing out of Gdansk's runway 11 when a bird collided with the aircraft prompting the crew to level off at 5000 feet and return to Gdansk for a safe landing on runway 11 about 15 minutes after departure.

A Jet Airways Airbus A330-200, registration VT-JWE performing flight 9W-141 (dep Aug 28th) from Milan Malpensa (Italy) to New Delhi (India), was enroute near Amritsar (India) when a girl (3), travelling with her parents and brother, started badly vomiting and stopped breathing. While cabin crew provided first aid the flight crew diverted the aircraft to Amritsar for a safe landing. The girl and family were taken to a hospital, the girl however was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

A Shenzhen Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration B-6312 performing flight ZH-9706 from Xiangfan to Shenzhen (China), was about 45 minutes into the flight when a threatening message was received prompting the crew to divert the aircraft to Wuhan (China) for a safe landing.

The airline reported a threatening message against the aircraft was received, the aircraft diverted to Wuhan. The passengers were taken to hotels over night.

Passengers weibed (reported on China's Weibo service similiar to Twitter) the captain told them a message indicating explosives on board had been received. The aircraft diverted to Wuhan and was searched for explosives, they had all to collect their luggage and have the luggage and all personal belongings searched for explosives, too.

An Iberia Airbus A340-300, registration EC-GGS performing flight IB-6012 from Montevideo (Uruguay) to Madrid,SP (Spain) with 280 passengers, was climbing out of Montevideo when the crew stopped the climb at FL250 reporting electrical problems and entered a hold for about 90 minutes. The aircraft returned to Montevideo for a safe landing on runway 24 about 165 minutes after departure.

The flight was postponed to the next day, the incident aircraft just departed with a delay of 24 hours.

Airport sources reported the crew did not request assistance, dumped fuel over Rio de la Plata and returned for a safe landing following an electrical fault on board.

Incident: PIA A313 near Quetta on Aug 31st 2012, generator failure

A PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-300, registration AP-BGS performing flight PK-206 from Kuwait (Kuwait) to Lahore (Pakistan) with 160 passengers, was enroute near Quetta (Pakistan) when the crew decided to divert to Quetta due to a generator failure (engine PW4156). The aircraft landed safely.

Assembly line in China completes the 100th A320 Family aircraft

Visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao today presided over a grand gathering of some 1,000 people in Tianjin to celebrate the completion of the 100th A320 Family aircraft assembled at the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line China (FALC), which is a joint venture between Airbus and its Chinese partners. Among the participants attending the celebration were government officials from China and Europe, representatives of Airbus and its Chinese partners and customers as well as employees of the Airbus Tianjin Final Assembly Line and Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre, a subsidiary of Airbus in Tianjin.

One day before the celebration, a framework agreement was signed by Airbus, Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the two parties of the Chinese consortium that hold a 49% stake in the FALC joint venture, concerning the shared intention to continue the cooperation on the project beyond the current business plan, which is due to expire in 2016. The agreement was signed at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing as a part of a series of Europe-China agreements in the presence of the German Chancellor and Chinese Premier.

“The completion of the 100th A320 Family aircraft by the Airbus Tianjin final assembly line represents a significant milestone for the cooperation between Airbus and China, as well as the Airbus strategy of internationalisation, one of the pillars of the Airbus vision for our future,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO. “Having a final assembly line in Tianjin has greatly promoted the Airbus brand and image in China and brought us closer to our customers in one of the world’s most important aircraft markets. I would like to congratulate all those involved in making FALC a great success and contributing to a win-win situation for Airbus and the Chinese industry,” he added.

The FALC is the third A320 Family final assembly line in the world after the ones in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany and the first Airbus aircraft final assembly line outside Europe. In July this year, Airbus has announced its decision to establish an A320 Family final assembly line in the United States.

In December 2005, Airbus and the Chinese government signed a MoU for the establishment of a single aisle final assembly line in China. In May 2007, the construction of the Tianjin assembly line started. In August 2008, the Tianjin final assembly line started operation. In June 2009, the first aircraft assembled in Tianjin was delivered to Sichuan Airlines. Since then a total of nearly 100 aircraft have already been delivered to 11 Chinese operators from Tianjin. Since the agreement for the FALC project was signed, China has placed orders for more than 550 A320 Family aircraft. In the mean time, the in-service fleet of Airbus A320 Family aircraft have expanded from some 200 to more than 700 as of end of July 2012

Airbus is the leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Over 11,700 Airbus aircraft have been sold to more than 470 customers and operators worldwide and more than 7,300 of these have been delivered since the company first entered the market in the early seventies. Airbus is an EADS company.

MNG Airlines takes delivery of its first A330-200F

Newest operator of world’s most efficient mid-size freighter

30 August 2012

MNG Airlines, Turkey’s dedicated freight operator, has taken delivery of its first of four A330-200Fs on order. Today the airline already operates a fleet of seven A300 cargo aircraft, and will expand its services by moving up to the A330 Freighter.

Sedat Özkazanç, Managing Director of MNG Airlines said: “Holding a big portion of the cargo capacity in Turkey, MNG Airlines is delighted to introduce the A330-200F into our fleet.” He adds: “This new Airbus freighter aircraft will help our continued growth by providing superior fuel efficiency, capacity and range for our customers together with both charter and scheduled flights.”

“We are pleased to welcome MNG Airlines as the newest operator of the A330-200F,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Airbus. “This aircraft offers the lowest operating costs in the mid-size category and the ability to match capacity more closely to demand on a wide range of operations.”

Benefiting from the technical superiority and market success of the A330 passenger version, the A330-200F is the world’s most modern mid-size freighter which can carry 70 tonnes of payload, with a range capability of up to 4,000nm. Moreover, in the current market situation with fluctuating demand and dominated by old and less fuel efficient large aircraft, the mid-size freighter A330-200F is the clear way to secure sustained profitability.

The A330-200F’s range and payload capability provides flexibility for both regional and intercontinental operations, versatility to match costs and frequencies with market expectations, thereby allowing operators to grow existing business and expand into new routes. The A330-200F targets the ‘mid-size’ freighter segment which is forecasted to be the core of future freighter demand, and will require more than 1,320 aircraft in the next 20 years.

To date, Airbus has won more than 1,200 orders for the various versions of the A330, with nearly 900 aircraft currently flying with over 120 customers and operators worldwide.

China’s ICBC Leasing places order for 50 Airbus A320 Family aircraft

ICBC Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. (ICBC Leasing), has signed an agreement with Airbus for a total of 50 A320 Family aircraft, including 30 A320ceo and 20 A320neo.

The aircraft purchase agreement was signed at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing by Li Xiaopeng, Senior Executive Vice President of ICBC and Chairman of ICBC Leasing, and Fabrice Bregier, President and CEO of Airbus. It was a part of a series of Europe-China agreements signed in the presence of visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

“We decided to order more Airbus A320 Family aircraft, not only A320ceo but also A320neo, to enhance our portfolio in anticipation of increasing demand of the aviation markets in China, Asia Pacific region and the world as well. The order indicates that leasing companies are playing a more important role in the aviation sector,” said Li Xiaopeng, Senior Executive Vice President of ICBC and Chairman of ICBC Leasing.

“We are delighted to see ICBC Leasing placing another order for the world’s best selling single-aisle aircraft. In particular, the order for 20 A320neo makes ICBC Leasing the first Chinese customer for the fastest selling aircraft, which offers a 15 per cent fuel burn reduction. We are proud to support the growth of Chinese leasing companies with our eco-efficient aircraft,” added Fabrice Bregier, Airbus President and CEO.

By the end of July 2012, there were over 700 A320 Family aircraft in operation with 15 Chinese airlines.

As of today, more than 8,500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and more than 5,100 delivered to over 365 customers and operators worldwide, making it the world’s best selling commercial jetliner ever. With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single-aisle aircraft. The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family entering into service from 2015 and incorporates latest generation engines and large "Sharklet" wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel savings. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.

Philippine Airlines places major order for Airbus aircraft

Airline selects A321 and A330 under fleet renewal programme

28 August 2012

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has placed a firm order with Airbus covering 34 A321ceo, 10 A321neo and 10 A330-300s. The aircraft are being purchased under a major fleet modernisation programme at the airline, with deliveries starting in 2013.

The single aisle A321 aircraft are being purchased to enhance the airline’s product offerings on domestic and regional routes, as well as to support alliances with its partner airlines. The widebody A330s will be operated on higher demand regional routes and longer range services to the Middle East and Australia. PAL will announce engine selections for all the aircraft at a later date.

“The orders we are placing with Airbus will play a key role in revitalising PAL and growing trade and tourism in the country, said PAL Chairman Lucio Tan and PAL President Ramon S. Ang. “With these aircraft we will be able to offer more passengers the best the industry has to offer across our Asia-Pacific network. At the same time, we will benefit from the low operating costs associated with new generation aircraft and the reduced impact on the environment.”

“We are extremely pleased that Philippine Airlines has placed its confidence in our aircraft to meet its future requirements,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Airbus. “This announcement demonstrates once again the popularity of both the A320 Family and the A330, which remain the leaders in their size categories in terms of operating economics, reliability and passenger comfort.”

The A321 is the largest member of the best-selling A320 Family, which offers the lowest operating costs of any single aisle product line today. These costs will be reduced even further with the arrival of the new engine option (NEO), offering additional fuel savings of 15 per cent. To date, over 8,500 A320 Family aircraft have been ordered and more than 5,200 delivered to 365 customers and operators worldwide.

The A330 is one of the most widely-used widebody aircraft in service today. Airbus has recorded over 1,200 orders for the various versions of the aircraft, with some 900 now flying with 90 operators worldwide. In addition to passenger and freighter aircraft, the A330 is also available in VIP and military transport / tanker variants.